Six Wendy's restaurants in Naples and Fort Myers cited for violating child labor laws

Six Wendy's restaurants operating in Naples and Fort Myers were cited for violating federal child labor laws, the U.S. Department of Labor reports.

After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, Manna Inc. — a Louisville, Kentucky-based franchisee of 99 Wendy’s and Fazoli’s restaurants in nine states, including the ones in Florida — will pay a civil money penalty of $157,114 for violating child labor requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Investigators determined Manna allowed 14- and 15-year-old employees to work outside of legally approved hours, and for more hours than allowed by law.

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Investigators found 446 minors, six of them in Southwest Florida, worked before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on school nights, worked more than 3 hours on a school day or worked more than 8 hours on a non-school day — all violations.

“Child labor laws exist to ensure that when young people work, the work does not jeopardize their health and well-being or educational opportunities,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Karen Garnett-Civils, in Louisville, Kentucky. “We encourage all employers to review their employment obligations and to contact the Wage and Hour Division for compliance assistance.”

WHD investigators found the violations at restaurant locations in Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

According to a release, the Southwest Florida restaurants involved included underage teen each:

► 4114 N Tamiami Trail, North Naples

►10941 Airport-Pulling Road, Naples  

► 12034 S Cleveland Ave., south Fort Myers 

►15300 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers 

►14491 Palm Beach Blvd. Fort Myers  

►17348 Park 78 Drive, Fort Myers